Chobe National Park - Day 4

Always air down on bush tracks to ensure you don't dig up the track.

It took a while to get going but eventually we left Sitatunga around 7am and started the long trek to Savute. It took 3 hours on the sometimes corrugated, sometimes sandy road to finally get to the Mababe gate. The road to Mababe has long stretched of soft sand which is not a problem provided you have you have aired down and engaged 4x4.

 

Options! Moremi, Khwai V Chobe, Savuti, two of the best in Africa, on one board. 

The drive took a bit longer than expected and we followed 'Trax 4 Africa' (T4A). Lookout for the right turn a little past the Mababe village bridge, it is signposted but they never last long in the wild. The second right turn right further down towards Khwai is supposedly a disaster with reports of folks being stuck in deep sand. It's actually a firebreak without a signpost and can be taken mistakenly. Apparently google maps takes you on this road so take care.

Despite checking in at the gate, we still hadn't paid as the revenue officer was not at his post. So it was agreed we would pay at the camp and headed on the long drive to the Savute camp. First things first, the all important Marsh V Sandridge choice needs to be made straight out the gate and it's the Marsh road at this time of the year.

We didn't go far before we came across a big herd of elephants going to drink at the water. They were a bit far away to shoot but nonetheless it was great to see them drinking from the channel, which you wouldn't know was flowing unless the elephants were drinking. And then it was a long stretch of mopane woodland in the hot and very windy conditions. 

We couldn't find a tree to have lunch when midday came so we stopped on the side of the road and had our steak rolls under the beating sun and the dust blown about by the wind. Finally after what seemed like ages the landscape finally changed from mopane to open plains and large trees.

Marabou pan, the southern end of the Savute circuit. 

At the first waterhole, Marabou Pan we came across a small herd of elephants drinking with the harsh winds swirling up dust all around them. This is also in the home range of the Marsh pride and Leopard, that kept us entertained for a long time on this trip.

We spent a bit of time with them and the yellow billed kites before carrying on with the idea of setting up camp before heading out for our game drive.

The earliest arrivals of migrants, the Yellow Billed Kite comes as early as August. 

But Savute had other plans as suddenly we spotted a lioness walking along the road towards us in the middle of the afternoon. She passed by us, so we quickly turned the car and followed her as she carried on down the road. 

We were amused to see a herd of giraffe catch sight of her about 100 meters from them and then crane their necks to keep her in their sights. We followed her down the road for quite a while but she seemed on a mission and we wanted to get to the camp so we left her hoping that we wouldn't live to regret it. 

Arriving at the gate, again we couldn't pay thanks to the revenue officer not being around. We found our campsite and set up a few of our things under the campsite tree before heading out for the drive.

Campsite CV3, shade, and you could walk to the ablutions in the dark if you are brave. 

We went left at the iron bridge following reports of lions this morning at the water holes just north of the camp. There was a nice herd of elephants at the first waterhole nearest to the camp, a pumped water hole so everyone wants the sweet water.

lmpala grab a drink at the pumped water hole. 

We did a round at the back of the waterhole and then slowly made our way through some pans and seasonal waterholes that surprisingly still had the last of the rain water in it. Soon enough we came across a number of cars crowded around the waterhole and sure enough a male lions was lying next to a bush belly up and fast asleep.

Sleepy after sleeping the whole day, typical lazy lion!

A passing car told us there was a dead elephant up ahead but after a quick look we didn't see the carcass but did spot another male lion nearby also fast asleep. We did some more driving around looking for the carcass without success but eventually made our way back to the 2 lions. While sitting there we suddenly realized that the elephant carcass was nearby, we had just not noticed it before.

One of the Northern pride males - Pretty Boys and his brothers. 

What's more, there was a lioness eating from the dead elephant. It was just that we didn't notice it the first few drives past thanks to it being in the shade of a bush, making it look like a big grey rock.

First game drive, 5 minutes from camp, male lions at the waterhole, what a start at Savute.

We decided to take a chance that the male lion closest to the waterhole may drink so headed there and amazingly he was drinking. Unfortunately just as we got there he stopped, and we missed the chance to shoot him drinking head on.

Brothers in arms, Northern pride males chilling at the waterhole. 

He sat at the edge of the water facing us so we wanted to wait him out and hope he'd come and drink again. So of course he didn't. But we did get a major surprise when suddenly a third male walked out into the open and joined his brother at the waterhole.

Straight from the hairdresser to the waterhole. 

A small greeting and he replaced his brother at the waters edge while the original one left and moved off into the bush. Again this new one didn't want to drink and just sat at the water. We hoped that the lioness would join him but nothing happened. 

Eventually we thought we'd check out what was happening on the other side of the waterhole and frustratingly as soon as we were on the other side the lion got up to start drinking!

Savute lived up to it's reputation with 3 massive males, just 5 minutes from camp. 

We quickly headed back but by then he'd stopped again so we missed our shot. He didn't hang around this time around though and carried on walking this time settling next to the road. We made our way to opposite the elephant carcass where now the other male was feeding on the carcass. 

Suddenly a herd of elephants appeared and made their way straight past the lion feeding on the carcass. Surprisingly, they didn't react and carried on to the sweet water waterhole for drinks.

The Elephant didn't see the female and was focused on the males. 

By now the light was fading and we headed back to camp to sort things out. From there it was an operation to get showers done and starting the braai, make lunch for the next day and then cook dinner for the evening.

Doing his bit to mark the patch of the Northern pride. 

A good start to the trip we went to bed with lions roaring and lightning all around hoping that it wouldn't rain overnight.